Method of and apparatus for treating wood for the manufacture of charcoal



(NoModelJ A 2Sheets-Sl1eefi 1.

. H. M. PIERCE.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GHAROOAL.

Patented Dec. 30,1884.

2ZAm88-$ .zn-uen/o Wm W w W A g fight o tiornef 46- L (N0 Madel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' H. M. PIERCE.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOD FOR THE MANUFAGTURE 0F OHARGOAL.

No. 309.874. Patented Dec. 30, 1884.

Wz/tnesses lh ven/zor N. PETERS. Phoiwblhcgrnphur. Washington. D. c.

NITE STAT S PATENT F F ICEQ HENRY M. PIERCE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CHARCOAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,874, dated December 30. 1884.

Application filed November 35, 18F2. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. PIERCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Treating Wood for the Manufacture of Charcoal and the Recovery of W'ood Products, such as Turpentine, &c.; and I hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is an elevation of devices illustrating myinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same.

Likeletters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

The object of the present invention is to facilitate the preparation of woods for carbonization ordistillation, whereby substantially the full equivalent of the material shall be obtained in the products.

\Vhile I do not confine myself exclusively to the treatment of soft woods-such as the pines and firs-or to the production of charcoal and turpentine rosin, yet I have especially devised the invention with reference tosuch uses, for the reasons that unless a larger yield of such products is obtained than can be obtained by the present method of manufacturing the woods will, owing to the growing scarcity of timber, soon be too valuable to apply to such purposes. I

The common method ofobtaining turpentine and resin is by tapping the trees and distilling the gum obtained thereby. This yields but asmall'pcr cent. of the valuable products, and the remainder is lost in coaling as commonly practiced. The production of turpentine for several years has fallen short of the demand, and the price has correspondingly advanced. This Iconeeive can only be remedied by obtaining the full value in charcoal and other products of the woods consumed in manufacturing.

The present invention,which is one of a series, applications for which have been filed of even date herewith, relates more especially to the utilization of waste heat and gases from the carbonizing or distilling process for the preliminary treatment of the woods, the resultant products being received and treated by a method and means described in another of my said applications. The first vapors given off in the combination or distillation of woods are aqueous and comparatively useless, and if collected with the subsequent products simply serve to dilute the same and retard their subsequent treatment, while the last products given off are very light and dry highly-heated gases which contain nothing of special value.

The first part of my invention consists in utilizing these final or highly-heated gases, to convey off the aqueous vapors in the prelimi nary treatment of the wood to dry the same for subsequent carbonization or distillation; and the second part of my invention relates to the construction and arrangement of devices especially adapted to carrying out said process.

I will now proceed to describe myinvention. so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A A indicate two ofa series of carbonizing-ehambers, which may be of any approved construction, but are preferably rectangular charcoal-kilns constructed of brick,with square corners and arched roofs, provided with timber-work to support the arches, and having charging-doors B b and fl ring-holes 00. Below and around the base of the kilns are a series of air inlets or ports, 3 s, and at the sides are two or more fines or chimneys, G G,which connect below, as at 0, with the in terior ofthe kiln,and are provided above with dampers 0. Each chimney or flue O, nearits top, is connected with the gas and vapor main or conduit M by means of a short flue, I,pro' vided with a damper, 91. On top,and preferably near the center of the kiln, I also construct one or more short chimneys. D,which are connected with the main M by short flues R,provided with damper r. The tops ofchimneys D are provided with dampers d.

M indicates a gas-main, into which the several fiues I? 1? and R R deliver the gases and Vapors from the kilns or carbonizing-chambers A. This main may be round or of other suitable form, constructed of wood banded with iron, and support-ed ata suitable height above the kiln by frame-work resting on the kiln. It is preferably inclined, so as to free itself of any condensed vapors, and delivers into a condenser. (Not shown.) The fines P I? and R R may also be of wood.

The kilns A A, &c., or carbonizing-chambers of the series are connected in succession, at or near their bases,by fine I provided with a suitable damper, I).

The above constitutes the preferred construction of my devices in so far as they relate to the present invention, and my method is .carried out by means thereof, as follows: The several kilns or carbonizing-chambers A A,&c., are filled with wood through the doors B I). The doors closed and luted up,the damper b is turned to cut off the communication between kilns A and A. Air-inlets s s and dampers c are opened and (I closed, and the kiln is fired through the proper openings. The first vapors given oil being aqeuous and compara tively valuel'ess are permitted to escape by dampers a; but as soon as the valuable vapors begin to pass off the dampers 0 are closed and dampers 1) opened, said gases being conducted from the kiln through main M (by means ofa fan, on, or other suitable exhaust, if desired, though the pressure in the kiln will effect the result) to a condenser, as hereinbefore specified. Toward the completion of the carbonizing process the products evolved will become less rich in valuable products and very hot, being little more than highly-heated 11011-0011- densable gases, and of a character adapted to absorb and carry off aqueous vapors. When this point is reached,I close the dampers p and open the damper b in the flue F connecting the kilns A, and A, thus directing the hot waste gases into kiln A, where they rapidly absorb the useless aqueous vapors, and after becoming charged therewith escape by the fine D of kiln A the cap or damper (I having been raised for that purpose. So long as the vapors evolved by the wood in kiln A are watery and valueless I permit them to escape by damper d,- but a point issoon reached where the light and highly-heated gases commence to take up and convey the turpentine and to free the wood of resinous matters. I then close damper d and open damper 1- and conduct such products into the main M. It will thus be seen that the preliminary treatment of the woodis also a method of recovering the valuable products. By this means the wood in kiln A is thoroughly prepared for carbonization before being fired, and usually by the time the carbonizat-ion is completed in chamber or kiln A. Damper b can then be shut down,kiln A closed and allowed to cool, and kiln A fired.

A third, fourth, or any number of kilns can be arranged and operated successively, as before specified, and the practical manufacturer will regulate the number and size of the kilns by the demands of his business, and the time required for the carbonizing and cooling processes, so as to obtain a continuously-working plant.

I am aware that it has been proposed to pass the vapors from a newly-lighted charge of wood continuously, during the period of desiccation, distillation, and carbonization of such charge, through a second charge of like material, for the purpose of converting the latter int-o charbon roux. In such process, however, the second charge acts asa condenser for the aqueous vapors and by-products given oif from the first and becomes supersaturated, therebyma.- terially lengthening the time necessary to bring it to the beginning of the period of carbonization, and requiring a larger quantity of fuel for that purpose. By allowing the aqueous vapors and other condensable products to es cape from the first charge, and directing only the dry hot gases of carbonization into the second, I utilize the only portion of the waste heat which is practically available, wholly avoiding the disadvantages attendant upon the process referred to.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The method herein described of preparing woods for carbonization,which consists in permitting the condensable vapors of an initial charge to escape directly into the open air,or into a condenser, and then passing the light highly-heated gases given off toward the close of carbonization or distillation through the fresh charge to be treated, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of two kilns, each having collecting-fines which communicate with the base of its kiln,a gas-main common to both kilns and connecting with the collecting-fines,

.a fine which connects thekilns at their bases,

and a series of valves or dampers for controlling the several fiucs, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

The combination of a charcoal-kiln having a collecting fine or fines communicating therewith at or near the base of the kiln,'a gasmain, a fine or fiues for connecting the collecting flue or fines with the gas-main, and suit able dampers for controlling the several fines, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,in presence of two witnesses,this 20th day of November, 1882.

HENRY M. PIERCE.

Witnesses:

F. W. BITTER, Jr., H. B. MoUL'roN. 

